Ex-bethel, Hampton Stars Shine

Morant, Green Help East Shut Out West

He dreamed he would get an interception in the Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star game Thursday night at Darling Stadium.

And he might want to tap into those unconscious powers more often because the recently graduated Bruin picked off a pass for the East in the second quarter and returned it 63 yards.

For Hampton's Donnie Green it was stopping West quarterback Andre Kendrick's option play - a play he had seen a few months ago by the E.C. Glass star in the state championship game. Once again Green came out on top.

Morant's interception and Green's recurring stops of Kendrick turned out to be key plays as the East shut down the West 23-0.

The weather was unseasonably cool for a July night, and that may have made the difference for the East defense. The players were calm, relaxed and focused on the game before it even started, said Green, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound defensive tackle. Nothing was going to get in its way of winning the game, a feat that has not been accomplished by the East since 1989.

``We wanted this game in the practices,'' Morant, a 6-2, 225-pound linebacker said. ``We practiced hard all week and knew it would pay off in the game.''

Green and Morant made their marks early and often on the West offense to earn them East co-MVP awards for the game. And this may just be a sign of things to come. Both are headed to the University of Virginia in the fall, although Green said he may play at a prep school first. Still, the idea of these two as a part of the Cavalier defense excited many.

``I told them I would have my tickets for every game,'' Glenn Proctor, a U.Va. alumnus, coach of Strasburg High School and one of the East's defensive coordinators. ``They will be exciting to watch. I think everyone felt coming into this game that we would have to watch out for Thomas Jones and Andre Kendrick (offensive threats for the West). But I felt everyone would have to watch out for the East's defense. We were just too fast on defense. Our kids executed the defense to perfection. And the defense set up the offense, especially early in the game.''

The East's defense was the key to the victory. The first touchdown was sparked by a botched West punt that was recovered by Derrick Turner of Goochland. The second score came in the third quarter, and the final touchdown was set up by a blocked punt in the fourth quarter.

Green had seven solo tackles and two assists, and Morant recovered a fumble, picked off a Kendrick pass and recorded three tackles, two for losses.

``This was just a great game,'' Morant said. ``The defense was the key, and the offense came through from there. My best play was definitely the interception.

``The whole game, though, was great. It felt like no one could stop us when we came out here. We hadn't seen Thomas Jones play, but we knew he rushed for 2,000 yards. Well, down here no one rushes for that many yards. We knew we had to stop him.''

Green agreed, although he was looking more for Kendrick.

``I knew that play,'' Green said of the option. ``I knew he likes to keep the ball on the option and I was able to tell my teammates that. Stopping him, though, was my key.''